Dr Eve De Castro-Robinson Appointed As 2026 CNZ Lilburn Composer-In-Residence At The New Zealand School Of Music

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and the Lilburn Residence Trust are delighted to announce distinguished New Zealand composer and educator Dr Eve de Castro-Robinson as the 2026 Creative New Zealand / Lilburn Residence composer-in-residence at the New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī (NZSM).

The residency, jointly based at the Lilburn Residence—the former home of composer Douglas Lilburn in Thorndon, Wellington—and the NZSM at Victoria University of Wellington, is made possible by funding from Creative New Zealand, the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation, and private philanthropists. It reflects an ongoing, shared commitment to supporting original composition, creative research, and enduring musical legacies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr de Castro-Robinson, who is recognised as one of the country’s foremost composers, brings to the position a compelling body of work spanning orchestral, vocal, chamber, and theatrical music. Her music is performed nationally and internationally, and she holds the distinction of being the first recipient of the Doctor of Music in Composition from the University of Auckland in 1991. Her compositional voice engages sonic architecture, timbral exploration and a rich palette of influences, from hymns and free-jazz, to graphic design and sonic art.

Professor Sally Jane Norman, chair of the appointment panel, commented, “We were impressed by the large number of applications received, and by their exceptionally high standard. Submissions triggered rich discussion, confirming the residency's unique value and significant legacy. Eve’s application was particularly exciting in terms of the diversity of projects proposed, and their ready fit with residency, school, and wider community goals. We greatly look forward to welcoming Eve’s singular energy in our creative capital.”

During her residency, Dr de Castro-Robinson aims to weave together longstanding compositional interests with Douglas Lilburn’s former home as well as the teaching, research, and outreach of NZSM. Among other strands, she envisions creating a major new chamber-orchestral work that bridges taonga pūoro and contemporary instrumentation, a suite of smaller ensemble pieces for staff and students at the NZSM, and workshops, lectures, and creative lab sessions.

“I am really chuffed to be awarded this residency which will see me fully immersed in the vibrant creative city that I've spent forty years only visiting,” says Dr de Castro-Robinson.

“I had a visit with a very welcoming Douglas Lilburn in the house in the late 1980s, in which we drank wine and listened to his piano music—an indelibly etched memory. The essence of my plans involves extensive collaboration with my Wellington musical whānau.”

Chair of the Lilburn Residence Trust, Emeritus Professor Peter Walls, said, “We are delighted that Eve has been appointed as our next composer-in-residence at the Lilburn Residence. It will be a pleasure, and I’m sure hugely stimulating for the students studying composition at the NZSM and for the wider Wellington arts community, to have her with us for the year."

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